Flying-machine.



0. E. & c. ILIGAN.

Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Witwmeo:

0. E. & 0;. lLl-GAN.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED'AUG. I5. 1914-- 2 SHEETSSHEET z.

' tlNlT 1a ears arnr opinion o'rro n. ILIGAN, or NEW YORK, AND CARL ILIGAN, or CORONA, new roan.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Application filed August 15, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Orro E. ILIGAN and and CARL ILIGAN, of New York,in the county of New York and State of New York, and Corona, Long Island, county of Queens, and in the State of New York, respectively, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flying- Machines, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates particularly to the type of flying machine which is known as an aeroplane.

The object of our invention is to provide a flying machine of this character'in Which the planes of the apparatus are movably located and in such a manner that their position maybe changed by the currents of air through which the flying machine passes without d1sturbing the stability of the flying machine. In other words, one of the principal objects of our invention is to provide an apparatus of this character in which there is no necessity for controlling the lateral stability of the apparatus. A further object of our invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind in which the direction of the flying machine may be controlled both laterally and vertically from the supporting planes themselves. A further object of our invention is to provide such an apparatus in which the planes automatically return to their middle position to cause the flying machine to fly on an even keel when the controlling devices are released. Still a. further object is to provid such an apparatus which is adapted to float upon the water, and 111 which the planes may be used to control the direction of the apparatus when subjected to winds while on the water. Another object of our invention is to provide such an apparatus which, when the power 1s cut off, will gently settle down to the earth without damage to the apparatus or occupants.

While our invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, for the purpose of illustration 1 have shown only one form thereof in the accompanying drawlngs, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flying machine made in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is an end perspective view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a detail.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1918.

Serial No. 856,893.

In the drawings, we have shown two pairs of supporting wheels 1 which are supported in the ends of inverted U-frames 9.. The U-frames 2 are attached together at their upper ends, while thelower ends of said frames diverge to support the wheels 1 the proper distance apart. Detachable pontoons. 3 are preferably carried by the lower portion of the apparatus along the sides thereof and between the wheels 1, said pontoons being attached to cross-bars A which connect the lower ends of the U-frames 2 together. From the cross-bars 4 there extend upwardly at each end of the apparatus a pair of approximately vertical rods 5 which are connected at the top with diagonal braces 6, the lower ends of which braces are secured to the in verted U-shaped rods 2. Furthermore, where the rods 6 pass the inverted U-shapcd rods 2, intermediate of the ends the rod 6, they are also attached to said U-shaped rods. Again, where the diagoral braces 6 cross each other, they are bound together in any suitable manner. At the points where the diagonal braces 6 cross they are arranged to support ateach side of the machine, gasolene tanks 7 which are connected by supply tubes 8 to the gasolene engine 9. This engine 9 is preferably supported upon a cross rod 10 which extends between a pair of lower longitudinal braces 11 connecting the cross rods 4. The engine is further braced by a pair of spacing rods 12 which extend from the engine 9 to the longitudinal braces 11. Again, the longitudinal braces 11 are further strengthened by U-shaped supporting rods 13 which pass beneath the longitudinal braces 11 and are attached at their upper ends to the points where the diagonal braces 6 cross the U-shaped rods 2 intermediate of the ends of the former. Between the diagonal braces 6 and opposite the gasolene tanks 7. there are two further cross-bars 14c and 15 which support a basket 16 for the passengers, said basket being provided with any desired number of seats 17.

At the top of the apparatus there are provided, in addition, two lateral longitudinal strengthening rods 18, and one central.

strengthening rod 19, the same being connected near the center thereof with the in rear supporting element 22. This rear supporting element 22 is comprised of four wings 23 made preferably of cloth and stretched between hubs 24 adapted to rotate upon the bearings 20 and 21 and outer longitudinal. frame bars 25, said frame bars being connected together by four central connecting bars 26. Furthermore, wires 27 connect the longitudinal frame bars with the hubs 24 along the edges of thewings 23, and also connect the two hubs 24 along the inner edges of't'he Wings 23. Any suitable number of wires 28 arev provided to brace theseveral parts of the supporting element 22. The two hubs 24 are connected together by any suitable strengthening framework 29. Through the centers of the hubs 24 there extends a longitudinal shaft 30 which has on itsouter enda propeller 31, and on its inner end a bevel gear 32 which meshes with a bevel gear 33 carried by a shaft 34 which extends upwardly from the engine 9. There is also at the front of the apparatus a forward supporting element 35 constructed in the same manner as the rear supporting ele-' ment 22, except that in this instance the forward supporting element 35 is carried upon a central shaft 36 which is supported in a universal joint bearing 36 at its inner end, whichbearing 36 is attached to the ends of the rods 18, 19,6 and 5, located at this end of the machine. The central-shaft 36 extends inwardly beyond the universal journal bearing 36 so that by its movement upwardly and downwardly and to the right or to the left, the movement of the aeroplane may be controlled in any direction. The innor endof this shaft 36 carries a sleeve 37 which is movable upon a vertically directed rod 38, and which is spaced from the upper end thereof and in the middle position of the path of movement of the shaft 36, by means of a spring 39. This vertical rod 38 is pivotally mounted upon a rod 40 which is supported in a U-frame 41 attached to the basket. 16 and to the cross rod 42 extending between the sides of one of the U-shaped rods 13. This rod 40 preferably carries a number of eyelets 43 to receive cables to be hereinafter referred to, which pass from the controlling mechanism downwardly through the rod and to an outer sleeve 44 which is attached to a controlling wheel 45 for controlling the vertical direction of the forward supporting element 35, and to an inner shaft 46 which passes through the sleeve 44 and has attached thereto an inner wheel 47 for controlling the lateral direction of the forward supporting element 35. Attached to the top of the bar 38 cables-48 pass over sheaves 49 located upon the lateral, longitudinal strengthening rods 18, downwardly through eyelets 43 and around the central shaft 46, so that by the rotation of said shaft 46 the upner end of the rod 38 may be of the appaof the eyelets 43 and around the slee\*e.44, so

that by the operation of the outer controlling wheel 45 the vertical position of the forward supporting element may be controlled.

In the operation of our apparatus, it be ing assumed that it is desired to elevate the living machine from the ground, it is merely necessary to start the engine 9 and elevate the front supportingelement 35 by the operation of the outer controlling wheel 45. Upon the forward movement of the flying machine, the same will rise into the air after which the upward or downward movement of the aeroplane may be controlled by the position of the outer controlling wheel 45 and the lateral direction of the aeroplane v mav be controlled by the movement of the controlling wheel 47. After the movement of the front su porting element 35 out of its horizontal position, and upon the release of the inner controlling wheel 47. the front controlling element 35 will automatically return to its middle or horizontal position through the agency of the spring 39. It is not necessary, at any time, to control the lateral stability of the flying machine. as the front supporting element and the rear supporting element 22 may be turned at will by any currents of air, and as they will support the flying machine no matter what their radial position is. Should the power be cut off at any time. the apparatus will gently settle down to the ground without damage to any of the parts. inasmuch as it is not. necessary to have any longitudinal headway to control the stability of the flying machine. Furthermore. inasmuch as the center of gravity is in the center of the machine, the forward supporting element and the rear supporting element 22 will support the parts evenly. Should the apparatus settle down upon the water, the position of the front supporting element 35 may be taken advantage of to control the direction of the flying machine on the water under the influence of the wind.

While we have described our invention above in detail, we wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit. of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a flying machine, front and rear support-s comprising rotatable planes radiating from axes in the longitudinal central plane of the machine, means for changing the inclination of the forward set of planes, and a propeller concentric With the rear set of planes.

2. In a flying machine, front and rear supports comprising rotatable planes radiat ing from axes in the longitudinal central plane of the machine, the axes of the rear set of planes being fixed, and means for changing the inclination of the forward set of planes.

8. In a flying machine, front and rear supports comprising rotatable planes radiating from axes in the longitudinal central plane of the machine and means for changing the inclination of one of said sets of planes.

4. In a flying machine, front and rear supports comprising rotatable planes radiating from axes in the longitudinal central. plane of the machine, and means for changing the inclination of the forward set of planes.

5. In a flying machine, front and rear supports comprising rotatable planes radiating from axes in the longitudinal central plane of the machine, and a propeller concentric-With the rear set of planes.

6. In a flying machine, front and rear supports comprising rotatable planes radiating from axes in the longitudinal central plane of the machine, means for changing the inclination of one of said sets of planes and a propeller having a common axis with one of said sets of planes.

7 In a flying machine, front and rear supports comprising rotatable planes radiating from axes in the longitudinal central plane of the machine and a propeller having a common axis with saidplanes.

8. In a flying machine, front and rear freely-rotatable supporting elements, each made up of radiating planes, means to change the angle of one of the elements, comprising an axial rod supported in a universal joint, and means for moving said rod, comprising a ring attached to the rod, and a substantially vertical rod passing loosely through the ring.

9. In a flying machine, front and rear freely-rotatable supporting elements, each made up of radiating planes, means to change the angle of one of the elements laterally and vertically, comprising an axial rod supported in a universal joint, and means for moving said rod, comprising a ring attached to the rod, and a substantially vertical rod passing loosely through the ring.

10. In a flying machine, front and rear freely-rotatable supporting elements, each made up of radiating planes, means to change the angle of one of the elements laterally and vertically, comprising an axial. rod supported in a universal joint, means for moving said rod, comprising a ring at tached to the rod, and a substantially vertical rod passing through the ring, a spring around the vertical rod attached to the axial rod, and cables attached to the ring and to the vertical rod.

11. In a flying machine, front and rear freely-rotatable supporting elements, each made up of radiating planes, means to change the angle of one of the elements lat erally and vertically, comprising an axial rod supported in a universal joint, means for moving said rod, comprising a ring at tached to the rod, and a substantially vertical rod passing through the ring, a spring around the vertical rod attached to the axial rod, cables attached to the ring and to the vertical rod, and hand wheel operated telescoping drums for receiving the cables and moving the vertical rod.

12. An aeroplane steering mechanism, comprising a guiding member, a universally journaled shaft supporting the same, a pivoted rod engaging said shaft, means for moving said shaft with respect to said rod in one direction, and for oscillating said rod to move said shaft in another direction.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing We have hereunto set our hands.

OTTO E. ILIG-AN. CARL ILIGAN. Witnesses:

S. SCHWARTZMTAN, ARTHUR WRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

